Saison Farmhouse Ale - Pinot Noir Barrel Aged Cask
Lagunitas Brewing Company

Reviewed from notes. On tap at the Bavarian Lodge.

Pours a nice golden color with a good white head. The aroma is heavenly with some great wine notes really mixing well with oak and the underlying saison. I can't get enough of this. First wine-barrel beer that I've had and I'm left wondering why more places aren't doing a bit more of this type of aging with saisons. Wine, oak, light tannins, and a bit of spice and earth. Feel is really nice with the oak playing well. Drinks really, really well.

Had this on tap at Blind Tiger Ale House in NYC. Poured into a tulip glass.

A: Light, transparent gold color with a quickly fading head into nothing.

S: Light, funky apple aroma. Very welcoming.

T: Tart to start, oaky, with a tannic finish. The aftertaste is awesome - peppery and slightly spicy with a touch of clove.

M: Not reflective of the appearance - nicely carbonated and foamy in your mouth.

D: A little filling, but very easy going down.

As I always say, Blind Tiger brings the rarities.

On tap at Bailey's in Portland.

Pours a light straw color with about half an inch of cream colored head. Leaves beautiful rings of lace on the tulip glass.

The nose is in line with what I would expect from a good saison. Some earthy aromas of wet hay and musty old leather. Black pepper, and a very subtle touch of sour fruit.

This is one of the tastiest beers I've ever had from Lagunitas! Apart from being a really successful saison, with all the funk and lively carbonation I expect from the style, it has a well-integrated tartness from the fruit. The finish is vinous, earthy and lingering.

What I like most about this beer is that it's not overdone. So many brewers these days are killing their beers by keeping them in the barrel too long. There is just the right amount of pinot character. It doesn't overwhelm the base beer, it compliments what's already there.

On-tap at Stone Sour Fest

A: The pour is a light straw color with a fluffy white head that clings to the sides of the glass.

S: Not an overt tartness, but a nice grassy and wild funkiness: certainly lives up to the farmhouse moniker. Good notes of wet earth and wood, with some hints of lemon (zest, especially) and quite yeasty.

T: A touch of bitterness, some wine barrel notes that provide a bit of fruit, but a good musty oak quality. Leathery and earthy funk works nicely with the hint of tartness that is in the beer.

M: The body is on the light end of medium with a plentiful carbonation and slightly dry finish.

D: In retrospect, one of the best beers at Sour Fest this year (for what my opinion is worth, anyway). Nice funkiness and very nice flavors.

Light, sunlight-on-gold color, served with an inch of white head in a tulip. The bubbles are mostly tight, with a few larger ones floating around the middle of the cap.

Appropriately peppery, earthy hop aroma, slight grain sweetness, with a tiny hint of spice on the nose. Smells pretty good for style; no off notes at all.

The inviting nose didn't lie; this is a pretty good saison. With the Farmhouse name, I was moderately wishing for a little funk in the trunk, but even without a kick of Brett it's very enjoyable. Adding to the earthy touches is a lightly floral touch that fills out the flavor profile without taking away authenticity for style.

Perfect in the mouth, crisp and thin, nicely carbonated to quickly pull any residual hop oil or malt sweetness off the palate. Very refreshing, crisp beverage. It didn't get very warm, so the flavors may develop somewhat, but that's a ringing endorsement that it was drank so quickly.

It comes out of the tap a clear golden with a fine-bubbled and persistent head. Aroma is richly malty and wheaty with a strong citrus overtone. Flavor is malty and wheaty with a touch of fruit and a strange "rubbery" component. This saison is smooth but lively.

Saison Farmhouse Ale - Pinot Noir Barrel Aged Cask

Served at The "Free" Beer Party - 2008 at Taco Mac Lindbergh in celebration of the 75 anniversary of the end of prohibition.

Poured yellow/orange, super cloudy with a thick white foamy one inch head. Smells yeasty/malty like a Belgium. First taste is smooth, light, with only a hint of the Pinot Noir. This is good, but not something I would seek out.